Ange Postecoglou has always had to fight his way to the top.
Even though Postecoglou has been a serial winner throughout his career, including at Celtic, and winning the Europa League at Tottenham, he still finds himself answering the critics.
It seems as though the disrespect has been there all along. Everyone would have heard the news now about Postecoglou’s sacking at Spurs.
But even before he joined Celtic from J-League side Yokohama Marinos in 2021, his arrival was met with a bit of scepticism.
One moment supporters will remember, and it has become infamous for Alan Brazil, is the talkSPORT host’s initial reaction to the 59-year-old coming in.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty ImagesAnge Postecoglou’s response to Alan Brazil’s disrespect before Celtic appointment
Before Celtic, Postecoglou had won titles in Japan and Australia, but Brazil had no knowledge of him, so rather than ask questions, he proceeded to think it was a ‘wind-up’.
ABC News in Australia provided an in-depth look into Postecoglou’s career, and that clip from Brazil was played.
Brazil’s comments: “Breaking news coming out of Scotland, as Celtic have applied for exemption for Yokohama Marinos boss, Posta, what is Postecoglou? Oh, this has got to be a wind-up. No.”
And then, Postecoglou responded, and shared how his upbringing ensured no such things fazed him.
“I grew up in a school yard with a long surname in Australia, and trust me, I heard every variation of my surname,” shared Postecoglou.
“Nothing they were going to say was going to upset me.”
What Brazil said after his infamous Postecoglou comments
At the end of the day, Postecoglou’s Treble win at Celtic, amongst other things, speaks for itself now.
Rightfully so, that moment from Brazil is more of a joke on him than anything else, as it also needs to be remembered that he is a Celtic fan.
But when the former striker, who also played for Manchester United and Ipswich, recalled that moment back in October, he acknowledged his mistake.
“I’d never heard of him, and I played against him! I played against him for Wollongong against South Melbourne,” Brazil told Open Goal in October 2024.
“Someone sent me a programme, and I looked; I played against him! I had never heard of him; I didn’t know what he had done. He came over, and it’s a joke now, isn’t it (the clip)?
“But he’s done brilliant; he’s had a hard time at Spurs, but so what? It’s not easy at Spurs or Manchester United, but he was fantastic for Celtic.”